12/30/10

As I have said before, I am not the wordsmith that my husband is; however, I will do my best to let you know what has been happening in the last couple of weeks.

Joleigh Faith has been doing great! I got my Christmas wish when Joleigh was taken off her breathing machine just before Christmas. She is now just on oxygen and they have been working to wean her off. Her feedings have continued to increase and she is now receiving 30 cc's every 3 hours. She now weighs 3 pounds, 5 ounces and is 16 1/4 inches long. She continues to be a diva and gets kinda mad if you mess with her when she doesn't want to be messed with!

Jeremiah Wayne continues to hold his own as well. His oxygen continues to be weaned and as of yesterday he was down to 1.5 liters from 4. He now weighs 3 pounds, 13 ounces and is 17 1/4 inches long. As he grow his feedings also increase and he is now receiving 34 cc's every 3 hours. I found yesterday that when Jeremiah doesn't get fed when he wants it he can become very irritable. I would love to say that this trait comes from his father, but sadly I think it really comes from me.

There have been several small changes that have come for both babies equally in the last 2 weeks. Both are now stable enough to spend more time outside of their isolettes which equals more holding time for us! Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays are shot days for the babies and not favorite days for me or the nurses. They each used to get 2 shots each day but we are now down to one. It's the small victories that count! Both babies had their last brain ultrasound on Monday and we are proud to say that they have come back normal for the fourth and last time. One more thing we can cross of the list of worries. Feeding times have decreased from 1 hour to 30 minutes which shows that Joleigh and Jeremiah are tolerating feedings more like typical newborns. As they continue to progress, we are hoping to start offerings bottles in the next week or so. Both babies are spending more time awake which is so much fun for us as we get to talk to them and see their beautiful eyes. Both have also discovered their thumbs and may be found with their "pacifier" in their mouths!

Jace and I are both doing well and have adjusted to our NICU schedule as well as we can. I spend my days with Joleigh and Jeremiah in the NICU. I get to change diapers, take temperatures, hold babies and of course just talk to them while they are awake. Jace goes to work during the day and spends the evenings with us at the hospital. We continue to be grateful to my cousin Heather for the use of her apartment. It is great to be only 5 minutes from the hospital. We also cannot thank those of you who continue to support us financially or with your prayers. We know that God has heard those prayers because our children are doing so well. It is only by His grace that they are here and doing fantastic.

The biggest thing we can be thankful for is getting to spend our first Christmas with our children. Jace and I spent the day with Joleigh and Jeremiah and even opened Christmas presents with them! Although it was bittersweet to not spend the day at home with family, we were blessed with visits from grandparents on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. I will try to get Jace to post pictures soon of our Christmas celebration!

I think that sums up everything that has been happening in the last couple of weeks. We hope each of you had a wonderful Christmas holiday and we pray for a blessed New Year also. I can tell you we are looking forward to our 2011 and watching our children grow!

12/14/10

Where shall we begin, how about with Joleigh Faith? She is doing great. While she is still on the sipap machine she is holding steady. She is getting fed more, up to 20cc’s every three hours and is gaining weight, up to 2 pounds 10 ounces. She is also holding her body temperature well enough that we are able to swaddle and hold her instead of skin to skin. It feels like progress simply being able to do that. Jo’s funny story for the week comes when I changed her diaper on Saturday. I unfastened the dirty one, kept it there, and cleaned her up, and then I removed the dirty and put the clean one under her. She proceeded to dirty the clean one. I then cleaned her up, removed the 2nd dirty one and put another clean one under her. You guessed it; before I could fasten the new one she dirtied it. This continued a couple more times. By the 4th I was convinced we were good to go and she finally had a clean diaper.

Jeremiah Wayne is progressing as well. He was taken off the sipap machine yesterday and put back onto only oxygen. That is great news! Like is big sister, he is getting more food, 23cc’s every three hours. The best achievement for him this week is the fact that he has reached the 3 pound mark, weighing in at 3 pounds 1 ounce. He too is able to be held swaddled. No real orneriness coming out of his corner this week. I am sure that will change.

Both had their weekly brain scans and while they both positively showed brains both were negative for any problems. So while they got their Dad’s orneriness and dashing good looks, it appears as though they got their Mom’s smarts. What a relief about the smarts, not so sure about the looks though.

Speaking of Jen, she is doing great. She is beaming as a new Mom and anyone that has seen her can clearly see that. Besides that her happy moment came a week after the twins arrived as she was able to put her “real” jeans back on. I reckon it’s the small things in life that make the difference. Her spirits are high and she is making great friends with the nurses and doctors in the NICU. She is a real trooper.

As for me, had to go back to work yesterday for the first time since the twins where born. While it stunk being away from my newly foursome-fied family, the time passed quickly and before I knew it I was back in the NICU holding Jeremiah. I am loving being a Daddy and doing Daddy things (changing diapers, washing faces, calming crying babies, etc).

If you are wondering where we are living these days here are those details. We only come home to Newton once a week to attend church, do errands, pick up our mail, wash clothes, and see Tucker (who is staying with Norm and Cinda…and he is loving getting to spend the days with Emma). After they were first born we stayed in the Carle Auxiliary Guest House for a week. That place was a dear blessing and perfect under the circumstances. Since time is limited in the guest house we had to find another place. God works in mysterious and miraculous ways and it worked out that Jens cousin, Heather, recently purchased her first house. The great part about that is her lease on her apartment runs through January. So she actually had a house and an empty apartment, both in Urbana within 5 minutes of Carle. She was gracious enough to allow us to inhabit her apartment at no cost. We will stay there through the end of January. If the babies aren’t able to come home yet by then we will move in with Jen’s Aunt Patti in Fisher. God always provides.

As if this post wasn’t long enough yet I have one more paragraph to add. Jen and I would like to send a special thank you to all of you who helped, supported, or had anything at all to do with the bake sale recently held at Peoples State Bank in Newton. We cannot describe the feelings we have for all the outpouring you all have shown. We are truly overwhelmed and encouraged by all of you.

While we still have long road ahead of us, about 70 more days at least (average time in NICU for their weights is approx 90 days), we feel the progress shown so far is a huge step in the right direction. God is good and continues to bless our family. Thank you again to all of you for your support and continues prayers. I will post pictures soon.

12/6/10

What a great day! Thanks to God first for making it that way and you all for praying it that way. Both twins still have acceptable bili ranges and got to stay off the lights all day. He is getting 16cc’s of food each feeding and she is getting 13cc’s of food, a far cry from the 1cc they got after birth. They are still on the sipap machines but hardly a bradycardia event to be had today. Along with that they were both tested for infections today and both tests came back negative. The Doctor told us that their apnea episodes were just a result of them being so premature and as they got bigger the apneas (brady’s) would fix themselves. God is good. Also today they were taken off their lipids and TPNs (IV nutrition) and are getting 100% of their nutrition from a mix of their mother’s milk and a fortifier for added growth. That means their picc lines will be removed tomorrow. Also today they got another brain scan and once again both came perfectly normal. Again, praise. After tonight’s weigh in Jeremiah is now up to 2lbs 13oz and Joleigh weights 2lbs 6oz. Because of Jeremiahs weight he was able to be held swaddled in a blanket and held in Jen’s arms not skin to skin. It was a great feeling.

Thanks again for all who have been praying. Again today we can see those prayers being answered. God bless.-Jace

12/5/10

Both Kids are back on a sipap machine to help their breathing. Too many bradycardias today. Minor setback but they are off their bili lights, gaining wait, and their feeding amounts have quadrupled. We need to learn to see the many good things rather than dwell on the one minor bad. Thanks for all those who continue to pray.

12/1/10

Hey all. Just wanted to tell you there are no major issues going on at this time. No updates have been flowing because we were without internet last night and busy all day today. Now we are both spent and going to bed. I will hit you all with a lengthy update tomorrow. God bless and good night.-Jace